Kay Ivey

Kay Ivey
Ivey in 2017
Kay Ivey
Born	Kay Ellen Ivey 15 10, 1944
Birthplace	Camden, Alabama, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician
Known for	Longest-serving female governor in the United States
Education	Auburn University (BA)
Website	[[governor.alabama.gov governor.alabama.gov] Official site]

Kay Ellen Ivey (born October 15, 1944) is an American politician who has served as the 54th governor of Alabama since April 10, 2017. Born in Camden, Alabama, Ivey built a career in Alabama state government spanning more than two decades, rising from the position of state treasurer to lieutenant governor before assuming the state's highest office. A member of the Republican Party since 2002, having previously been affiliated with the Democratic Party, Ivey first won statewide office in 2002 when she was elected the 38th state treasurer of Alabama. She served two terms as treasurer before winning election as the 30th lieutenant governor of Alabama in 2010. Ivey became governor on April 10, 2017, following the resignation of Robert J. Bentley, making her Alabama's second female governor. She subsequently won a full term in the 2018 gubernatorial election and was reelected in 2022, making her the longest-serving female governor in the United States. Her tenure as governor has been marked by legislative actions on education, public safety, environmental regulation, and economic policy.

Early Life

Kay Ellen Ivey was born on October 15, 1944, in Camden, Alabama, a small town in Wilcox County in the state's Black Belt region. Camden, the county seat of Wilcox County, is a rural community in the southern part of the state. Ivey grew up in this small-town setting, which would later inform much of her political identity as a representative of traditional Alabama values and rural interests.

Before entering politics, Ivey was affiliated with the Democratic Party, which had historically dominated Alabama politics for much of the 20th century. She later switched her party affiliation to the Republican Party in 2002, a transition that reflected broader political realignment trends in the American South during the late 20th and early 21st centuries, as many conservative Southern Democrats shifted to the Republican Party.

Education

Ivey attended Auburn University, one of Alabama's flagship public universities, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. Auburn University, located in Auburn, Alabama, is one of the state's largest institutions of higher education and has produced numerous Alabama political figures. Ivey's time at Auburn would prove formative; she has maintained a connection to the university throughout her career and public life.

Career

Alabama State Treasurer (2003–2011)

Ivey entered statewide elected office in 2002, running as a Republican candidate for the position of Alabama State Treasurer. She won the general election that year, succeeding Lucy Baxley in the role. Ivey was inaugurated as the 38th state treasurer of Alabama on January 20, 2003, serving under Governor Bob Riley.

As state treasurer, Ivey was responsible for managing the state's finances, including the receipt and disbursement of state funds, the management of state investments, and oversight of various financial programs. She won reelection to the treasurer's office in 2006, securing a second term. Ivey served two full terms as treasurer, holding the office from January 20, 2003, until January 17, 2011, when she left to assume the lieutenant governorship. She was succeeded as treasurer by Young Boozer.

Lieutenant Governor of Alabama (2011–2017)

In 2010, Ivey sought the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor of Alabama. Her campaign for the office represented an upward trajectory in her political career after eight years as state treasurer. She won the election and was inaugurated as the 30th lieutenant governor of Alabama on January 17, 2011, serving under Governor Robert J. Bentley.

As lieutenant governor, Ivey served as the president of the Alabama Senate, a constitutional role that gave her authority to preside over the upper chamber of the Alabama Legislature. She also carried out various ceremonial and administrative duties associated with the office. Ivey served as lieutenant governor for over six years, from January 2011 until April 2017, when she ascended to the governorship. She succeeded Jim Folsom Jr. in the lieutenant governor's office.

During her tenure as lieutenant governor, Ivey maintained a relatively low public profile compared to Governor Bentley, but she remained a steady presence in Alabama Republican politics. Her role as the state's second-in-command positioned her to assume the governorship when circumstances required it.

Governor of Alabama (2017–present)

Ascension to the Governorship

On April 10, 2017, Governor Robert J. Bentley resigned from office amid a political scandal involving allegations of misuse of state resources and an extramarital affair with a senior political adviser. Under the Alabama Constitution, the lieutenant governor succeeds the governor upon a vacancy in the office. Ivey was sworn in as the 54th governor of Alabama on the same day, becoming the state's second female governor in its history.

Upon assuming the governorship, the office of lieutenant governor became vacant and remained so until Will Ainsworth was inaugurated in January 2019 after winning the 2018 election for that position.

Ivey moved quickly to establish her own governing agenda and to distance her administration from the controversies that had plagued her predecessor. In September 2017, she formally announced her intention to seek a full term as governor in the 2018 election.

2017 U.S. Senate Special Election

One of the early political challenges of Ivey's governorship involved the 2017 United States Senate special election in Alabama, held to fill the seat vacated by Jeff Sessions after his appointment as United States Attorney General. The election became nationally contentious when Republican nominee Roy Moore faced allegations of sexual misconduct. Ivey publicly stated that she intended to vote for Moore despite the allegations, a position that drew both support and criticism. State Republican leaders at the time did not pursue efforts to cancel or delay the election.

2018 and 2022 Elections

Ivey won a full four-year term as governor in the 2018 general election, securing a mandate from Alabama voters after having initially assumed the office through gubernatorial succession. She campaigned on a platform emphasizing economic development, infrastructure improvement, and conservative governance.

In 2022, Ivey won reelection to a second full term as governor, further consolidating her position as the state's chief executive. With her continued service, Ivey became the longest-serving female governor in the United States, a distinction reflecting the length of her tenure beginning with her initial succession in 2017 through her subsequent electoral victories.

Education Policy

Education has been a recurring focus of Ivey's gubernatorial agenda. In February 2026, Ivey officially proclaimed Public Schools Week in Alabama, using the occasion to highlight what her office described as historic gains by Alabama students and educators. Her office pointed to improved national rankings in math and reading as evidence of progress in the state's public education system.

Public Safety Legislation

Ivey has signed multiple pieces of legislation focused on public safety during her time as governor. In 2026, she signed the child predator act into law, legislation that established the death penalty as a possible sentence for certain offenses against children. The law was characterized by supporters as a strong deterrent measure aimed at protecting Alabama families.

Environmental Policy

Environmental regulation has been a notable area of Ivey's governance. In February 2026, Ivey signed a bill into law that prohibited the state of Alabama from having environmental regulations stricter than those imposed by the federal government. The legislation proved controversial, with critics contending that it would weaken environmental protections in the state, while supporters argued that it would reduce regulatory burdens on businesses and align state policy with federal standards.

Hemp and Agricultural Policy

Ivey signed House Bill 445 into law, establishing a new licensing framework for hemp businesses in Alabama. By early 2026, businesses in the state began receiving licenses under the new regulatory structure, including operations in Dothan.

Emergency Management

As governor, Ivey has exercised her authority to declare states of emergency in response to natural disasters and severe weather events. In January 2026, she signed a proclamation issuing a state of emergency for 19 northern Alabama counties ahead of a forecast for winter and icy weather conditions. The declaration was intended to mobilize state resources and prepare emergency response measures in advance of the storm.

Personal Life

Kay Ivey was born and raised in Camden, Alabama, and has maintained deep ties to the state throughout her life and career. Her official residence as governor is the Alabama Governor's Mansion in Montgomery, Alabama.

Ivey's political career is notable for its longevity and for her transition from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party in 2002, a shift that preceded her first successful bid for statewide office. Her switch reflected larger political trends in Alabama and the American South, where many formerly Democratic officeholders and voters moved to the Republican Party during the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

As the longest-serving female governor in United States history, Ivey holds a distinctive place in American political history. She is only the second woman to serve as governor of Alabama, a milestone in a state where women had historically been underrepresented in the highest levels of elected office.

Recognition

Ivey's status as the longest-serving female governor in the United States is her most notable distinction. Having first assumed the governorship on April 10, 2017, and continuing to serve through successive electoral victories in 2018 and 2022, Ivey has held the office for a period exceeding that of any other female governor in American history.

Her ascension to the governorship in 2017 attracted national media attention, both because of the circumstances surrounding her predecessor's resignation and because she became only the second woman to lead the state of Alabama. Coverage in national outlets such as Time and New York Magazine brought her to a wider audience beyond Alabama during her first year in office.

As an alumna of Auburn University, Ivey is among numerous Auburn graduates who have gone on to serve in prominent positions in Alabama state government. Her career trajectory—from state treasurer to lieutenant governor to governor—represents one of the more methodical ascents through Alabama's executive branch offices in recent state history.

Legacy

Kay Ivey's legacy in Alabama politics is defined by several factors: her longevity in statewide office, her status as a female governor in a historically conservative Southern state, and the policy decisions made during her administration. Having served continuously in statewide elected positions since 2003—first as treasurer, then as lieutenant governor, and finally as governor—Ivey has been a fixture in Alabama government for more than two decades.

Her tenure as governor has coincided with significant legislative activity on matters including education reform, public safety, environmental regulation, and economic development. The signing of the environmental regulation bill in 2026, which restricted the state from imposing environmental standards stricter than federal requirements, represented a significant policy direction that generated both support from business interests and criticism from environmental advocates.

Ivey's party switch from Democrat to Republican in 2002 is reflective of the broader political transformation of the American South. Her subsequent electoral successes as a Republican—winning the treasurer's office twice, the lieutenant governorship once, and the governorship twice—demonstrated the consolidation of Republican political dominance in Alabama during the early 21st century.

Her record as the longest-serving female governor in the nation places her in a notable position in American political history, regardless of assessments of her individual policy decisions. The fact that she achieved this distinction in Alabama, a state with deeply traditional political culture, adds an additional dimension to her historical significance.